Depths of Emotions
by timelucked
Summary: My rendition of the group rescuing Rosa from Tower of Zot and what happens afterwards. What feelings arise when Kain sees how close Cecil and Rosa really are. How do the other members prepare for a war with a horizon so far out of reach and sight?


A/N:

This is my first ever fanfiction... the first I had ever written... (I write in a notebook, all my ideas, then I go back and type them and as I do so, I edit.) I have finally gotten around to writing this! GEEZ! This has been sitting in my "Need to Type/Post" Folder for THREE YEARS!

Here it is, though... my revised/edited work... of what had started this whole... fanfiction craze of mine ^^

"ROSA!" Cecil's cry was resonated from within the confines of the Tower. He raced over to where the limp-bodied, fail woman, was suspended. His cloak floating along behind with each jog. He cut the ropes with the Ancient Sword he had found on his travels and freed the young maiden. She collapsed into his strong, a-waiting arms. The two looked at one another in longing and embraced, not acknowledging their surrounding environment. The threat of danger, for the most part, had fallen behind them.

They whispered their names, a thing lover's only could comprehend.

"Rosa, I... as soon as you left my side... when you were gone... I... I realized –" the Paladin of Light tried.

"Oh, Cecil!" she weakly cheered, throwing her arms around his neck in her excitement.

The two were together again. The world seemed to have righted itself from its seemingly unbalanced state of despair and gloom. Their intertwined bodies seemed to be stuck together, Cecil and Rosa never wanting to be apart, horrifying the length of time that they had been.

Only when a _cough-cough_ of obvious standards escaped the work-worn, Air Fleet Master, Cid's lips, did they fall apart.

The young woman looked down with her pale cheeks stained with the blood of her embarrassment. She peeked her light eyes up and gave a grateful, appreciative, speech; while beside her, her Warrior glowed, no, radiated with pure delight and, in the moment and space they were in, ill-placed relief. Nothing other than his lady's safety mattered to him at his point. If a rampant behemoth stormed through the floor they were on, he would die a happy man knowing Rosa had been secured, safe from the harmful and cruel Golbez.

She turned to face each team member in turn, taking in the faces of her party, even the new faces that had joined, her gaze lingering on Kain's brooding form, his face the only one that was slightly turned away, forlorn. He twisted his head down, displaying his shame.

Rosa could not harbor a grudge against her once-friend, she knew there was to be a reason behind his treachery. Though, nonetheless, she was still uncertain of him and his ulterior motives. Whatever bound him to betraying her, to Cecil... could still have hold of him. How was she to know?

The bright-haired, wary-eyed Warrior saw this reflected in his lovers eyes, the beautiful brown with a jade undertone eyes he had missed, the same ones that showed the depths of her love and other emotions so fully, so well.

"He was placed under _Golbez's_ spell," Cecil explained, saying the demonic overlords name with spite and malice, coating it with a sick venom, his poisonous hate dripping off the name.

"Kain – " – he motioned with his eyes to the Dragoon, the sadness shown – "had to heed every whim, every subtle command given, of Golbez's."

The blond-haired, shunned, man clad in the dark armor of his occupation had remained silent throughout this.

"I see now the depths of your emotions," he started, a sad note to his deep voice, talking of Cecil's protective manner over their mutual affection, Rosa. The man had laced his hand through the shaking one of hers, in a successful attempt to calm her nerves of whatever practices she had endured during her time away.

"Not all of what I had done was because of that, _blasted_, Golbez. For some, it was just... just.." he took a moment to pause, collect what he wanted to state clearer. "...just to keep Rosa by_ my_ side..."

There was a moments silence, broken only by the bombastic Cid saying, "Well, now! This is getting to be a tad awkward, eh!"

Most everyone shifted uncomfortably, save for the engineer who solely laughed at his statement.

"Oh, Kain," she whimpered, at a loss as to what to say.

This time Cecil was the one who remained in the silent.

"Oh, Kain, I'm so – " Rosa tried but Kain abruptly interjected.

"– Please, I do not wish for thy apology, I do _not_ deserve such," Kain began to walk out.

Cecil grabbed Kain's wrist. Astonished, Kain turned around and looked down upon his once, near-brother's face.

"We all have a common goal – join us! _Help_ us defeat Golbez."

With that said, and with Kain's nod of determined approval, there now became a new addition to the party. Everything set, the group turned to make their way back out, bracing themselves absentmindedly for the dangers of wayward monsters along their path back. They began moving, when they were stopped in their tracks, as if halted by a magic-bearers spell. A booming voice of feminine nature sounded all around them, emanating from the golden-bricked and columned walls. It rent, splitting the air around them all. Bouncing from the walls to the inside of their heads, the echo boomed louder and louder, rather than the natural softer and softer.

"_Did you honestly think you could even ever _possibly _escape _this easily_?"_came the voice shrilly. "_Hah! As _if_. Oh, _Kaiiiiiiiiiiiiin, _it seems you've turned traitor... again!_" She cackled at her own heinous joke as shrill and high-pitched as her voice. _"What, couldn't handle us! Oh, well, you won't have to any . LONGER!"_

All hell broke loose immediately after. Spells and chants were cast, flying hither and thither; swords lashing against demonic, yellowed skin; hammer to inforced behemoth skull; Claws and Talons to Chainmail, armor, robe, and flesh. When the last of the fighting died down, Barbariccia weakly muttered her final words, dissolving into the rotting soot, "You... have one... arch...fiend to... go-o-o..."

With that, she evaporated into the air itself, sinking into the ground. Everyone in the group was battered, beaten, bloodied, and bludgeoned, but in lighter moods _now_ that the true and immediate danger had finally gone, for the moment.

Cecil reached out for Rosa's hand, a single trail of blood rolling down his mid fore-arm to his outstretched fingertip, to comfort her, when the bronze floor beneath them began to rumble.

"The Tower is collapsing!" All exclaimed in unison.

Panic was starting to bubble in the pits of everyone's stomach, percolating senses of unease throughout the members. It was all they could do not to shriek, screaming and running, hurtling towards the apparent exit that had started to crack and open beneath them.

"Everyone, gather near to me," the White Mage yelled.

She could barely be heard over the chaotic noise around them, yet obediently all had gathered closer. She shut her eyes to the madness all around, taking care to relieve herself of any sense other than the magic that bubbled within and all around her, casting her in a shell of protective light that was slowly engulfing the rest of the party. Soon after, her figure was silhouetted by a pale glow, the glow of her inner light, her aura.

It was beautiful, but alas, due to their situation, Cecil would have to save this thougth for another moment in their near future, stashing the picture of her haloed form for that same moment. Rosa's eyes opened again and this time their was a fire dancing around her pupil, alighting them. A glow of determination was now vested upon her. In a matter of seconds they each in turn became shrouded in a different light, a mist of silver, and then vanished.

_Ah, Teleport, _Cecil thought, clarifying in his head the move in which she was using. _Wise choice, my love. _

He looked across quickly and saw Rosa's beautifully determined face. That was the last thing he saw – and what a sight it was.

Cecil emerged from Teleport in his bed chambers in Baron Castle. Using Teleport felt like going through a cold shower after spending time out in the cold of a Damcyan desert night. He pushed down a sudden shiver crawling up his spine vertebrae by vertebrae. He looked at everyone, they all seemed to be accounted for, going through the same shudder-halting process as he had. Rosa was sitting by his bedside, seeming to study each crack with the utmost intensity. Cecil strolled over to her, cape flowing behind him with each step, more easily then during their battle.

"That was a rough time," she mused.

Cecil said nothing, but put his hand on the top of her head, gently stroking down her sleek, silken hair. She looked down towards the ground, roused by his appendage's motion. He placed his hands on either side of her face and sat beside her, the bed folding in on itself as he sat on it. The two were looking at each other, each gazing at the one they loved more than anything.

"Much better," Cecil commented, flipping his wavy bangs out of his eyes with a slight turn of his head, staring straight at her, cupping her face in his hands. "I can actually see your gorgeous eyes this way,"

The fighter bend his head so his forehead was lightly touching hers. She rested her eyes as she felt the press and heat of his forehead on hers, sighing, happy and content. For some reason, that sent a good chill down Cecil's spine, his attempt to suppress a failed one. He tilted his head properly, and gingerly kissed his most cherished and beloved Rosa. He was caressing her hair and she his scratched cheek.

Kain had looked away from this whole scene, pretending to look out the window, shadowing his eyes to hide away from the pain. He knew in his heart, if he were to assume he had one, that they were meant to be. With each other. Nothing more, nothing less. But, alas, he still wished to be in cecil's position. Oh, how he would love to hold Rosa in _his _arms. Those were just wayward fantasies, though.

Rosa broke apart from Cecil, holding his warm, firm, yet soft, hand and resting on his broad, armored, shoulder. Cecil wrapped an arm around her thin, dainty shoulders. She was quite happy, all things considered. Most everyone was safe, she was being held by her true and first love. The world seemed to go round again. Smiling placidly, she glanced around the room, taking in every aspect.

Yang, their monk comrade, was sitting in a corner, legs crossed, eyes closed, meditating; Cid was comfortably lounging about in one of the wooden chairs, head lolling front and back, nodding off to sleep, his pilots helmet sliding off to reveal his greasy red hair; and Kain... Oh, Kain... he was by the window, back turned from the rest, arms crossed, solemnly staring toward the purple-blue sky, impaled only by the two lunar orbs present in the early dusk.

Cecil must have seen where her gaze was, for he gently pulled Rosa closer and kissed the top of her head gently. She let a deep sigh escape her lips. He squeezed her hand more reassuringly as if to say; _Don't worry, he'll be fine. _She wished with all her heart it were true, yet knew it would never be that way. But as soon as she looked into his silvery eyes of onyx, she too thought and saw the same things he did.

_I assume that's his power_, Rosa thought. _His eyes... they are in fact, eyes of a leader, a caring one, no doubt. He was born to be a ruler – of any kind._

Soon, as a more prominent nightfall came and danced its darkness across the sky, to its borders, one by one, the spell of their natural drowsiness took control of everyone's mind.

"Let us rest now, there is no need to go anywhere for tonight," Cecil managed to speak coherently. Everyone was done being pensieve and ready to hit the hay, hopefully not in a literal sense. "You may all rest here," he added seing how tired they all were.

"Nah, my daughters probably havin' a hissy fit, right now," Cid boomed through his yawn. "I'll go home... s'not too far, y'know!" he chuckled wearily, standing and stretching his legs, heading for the doorway.

"In this Castle, my bedchamber resides as well. I will go see to resting there." Kain stated in his same drawling, monotonous tone.

Cecil nodded. "And you, Yang, your home is within the walled confines of the Fabulian castle, not Baron. Would you like to stay here and rest – I can assure you, it is a much better stay than at an Inn," he spoke the last, tired, but with a slight laugh.

"No, thank you. Cid has already offered me a spot in his home, I would neither like to offend him and or impose on you," Yang spoke, opening his eyes slowly and withdrew himself from the corner.

After good byes were said, the three men left. Kain gave one last look at the pair, nodded his head, and left. Only the slight_ chink_ing of his mythril armor could be heard. Cecil sat down, shoulders sagging. Lifting his head to the ceiling, he let out a whoosh of air. Rosa glanced at him, thoughtfully. He seemed so stressed. No, he_ was_ stressed. Rosa knelt beside him and rubbed his arm.

"Why must you carry the heaviest burden?" she whispered in his ear. Those words bounced and echoed inside Cecil's head. "Your shoulders aren't large enough to carry your stresses and worries, let alone ours as well," she continued. Her word's were encircling him, drowning him in their undeniable truth.

She wrapped her thin arms around him. The two stayed that way for a few moments, listening to the heartbeats of the other, feeling the pulse of his neck beating with rapid precision. Cecil greatly appreciated her concern, it showed she cared for him. Hopefully as much as he did her.

Rosa began to get up, her light silky shawl, billowing behind her, soft as the early morning breeze. She was about to walk away from him, he couldn't let _that_ happen. He wouldn't take that any day. If she left, a piece of himself went with her.

He reached for her hand and entwined it with his. Her thin appendage fit perfectly within his. She sucked in a started breath,

"Rosa," Cecil spoke softly, his voice coming out with his breath. "Would _you_ like to stay here for tonight...?"

After a quick pause he redirected with non-needed reasons. "It is dark out and I would not get a wink of sleep due to worrying," Rosa looked surprised, taken slightly aback, yet was still happy. Seeing this, the paladin was too.

It _was_ late, and he _would_ have worried, so this seemed to be the best solution for both all around. With a sheepish nod in his direction, Rosa shakily relaxed into his canopied mattress as he left to take off his own armor.

His blue and white paladin outfit was all that remained as he stripped away the bloodied mail. He took his shirt, a male cardigan of thick, soft, wholly material, off to reveal a marbled, muscled, stomach and upper torso. Along his torso were battle scars set from various weapons of places so distant, they cracked his would-be flawless skin across his rippled abdominals and ridged chest. The old wounds were faint due to Rosa having healed them on his journey back from those places. He smiled as he thought of when he had gotten so many of these marks. Rosa's gentle fingers had gone over each near-fatal slashes and had used her healing and medicinal spells and abilities to stunt the blood loss, the crimson liquid having pooled its majority around him, and had seeped into the unsatiated ground below him. She was the greatest White Mage he had ever met. _But I have only ever met two others,_ thought he, after a time. _Still nonetheless, she is beyond brilliant. _

The fighter walked back into his occupied chamber and was bemused at his lovers expression. She apparently was not accustomed in seeing one such as Cecil, bare-chested. Her mouth was set slightly agape, her frail limbs holding herself tightened as if needing to suppress a sudden urge, or in the least, trying to stop herself from doing something in the unladylike fashion.

He layed down on his bed and patted the area beside him, motioning for her to come lay net to him. She did as she was subliminally being told and he felt his blood boil, in ways that felt far too good. She curled up beside him and the two stayed, just in that way, with her cuddled against his defined torso, and he curled over her, massaging her arms to her thigh. Throughout the whole night, they remained as they were, talking and laying beneath sheets together. The night was blissful as they were entwined with each other, her small ankles crossing over his larger ones, her feet caressing his toughened calf's. Every so often, the two would partake in chaste kisses. Some time nearest dawn, they both finally fell under sleeps inescapable allure, still together as one.

"Mornin', Sleepin' Beaut's! Sun's a-risin', meaning you are, too!" Cid barked, charging into the chamber unannounced by way of smashing his dirtied, muddy, boot with the Oak door.

Cecil and Rosa sat rim-rod straight at the sound of the engineer's voice. Cecil's hair was askew, as Rosa's was wiry and tucked wildly out of place. Sleep still coating their eyes gave everything a foggy film. Due to their lack and deprivation of the much-needed necessity, their eyes looked beaten and blood-shot. Rosa's pink lace, gossamer, nightgown slid down one shoulder, the propped one holding the other strap in place. Sweat from the opened windows of Cecil's room letting in the heated air of a Baron's morning, dewed on his brow and exposed flesh of his chest. When both raised themselves in their surprise so abrupt, the sheets had pooled themselves on their respective laps, covering little – or rather, leaving nothing more to the imagination, which Cid retained quite a vivid one.

"Well, now... did you two have a rough night! Beating monsters would stand no chance against what you two have obviously been through! A-HAH! Sheathing too many swords tonight, ain't ye, m'lord! Pardon'n my phrasin', lass!" Shrewd as ever, Cid boasted on what he imagined Cecil and Rosa had been up to, but remember his place and having had audience with a lady, Cid excused himself, embarrassed to have said such things in front of a classy maiden.

Blushing merrily, he watched on as Cecil groaned in abstract frustration and agitation while Rosa burrowed her burning cheeks into his slick chest.

"_Any_who~" he changed subjects back to his reason for bursting in. "breakfast is being served in the dining hall, case ya couldn't smell!"

He took a gratuitous sniff through his wide-nostrilled nose, taking in smells of fried pork, roasting ham, sizzling eggs of the Griffon, and even some grit, being mashed in with some sugar and cinnamon.

"Might s'well eat here before we head on out again, things to be done, lots to be seein' as is the case!" he stated matter-of-factly, still chortling on about his "catching" the two on his way out the heavy wooden door, nonchalantly whistling some tune on his mind, winking mischievously to the fighter before he departed.

"Oh, dear – By, King Odin!" Rosa muttered, silencing her curse midway through.

Cecil sighed and put his head atop hers. He laughed humorlessly,

"That was..." he had begun.

"Awkward," Rosa moaned, still seated in her embarrassment.

The two flopped back on the bed, exasperated.

"...funny, was what I was going to say..." he silently corrected, hoping, slightly, that she wouldn't catch it.

Her eyes shot to his, glaring, mouth ajar in her shocked outrage. She saw his own eyes slowly shut from their sighting of the ceiling, as against his own will, a little smile snuck out from his mask of ease and danced along his lips. She smacked her hand lightly against his chest, but rough enough to get his attention to her mock-anger. She pursed her lips, turning away from him, but snuggling her back closer into his side.

A rough estimated time of half an Eblanian hour later, they both emerged, clean, with hair _in_ place, walking into the courts Dining Hall. Everyone greeted the now hand-in-hand couple with happy smiles, stomachs awaiting meals, and hearts awaiting their audience.

Kain was the odd man out, and had stiffly said a brief, "Hello,"

_Still on shaky ground, it would seem..._ Cecil gave a tight smile, brow creasing, as he thought this of his old-time friend.

The troupe feasted, all foods tasting so much better due to their comfortable seating, the amount of time they had to enjoy the meal, the not having to run or fight for their lives.

_Better to savor it now. I'm unsure as to how much longer this bout will last between us and Golbez's dark abettors. One more battle then we'll face off to..._him_... but will that really be all? Surely, it can't end _that_ quickly! By, Odin, I hope it will..._

Judging by the faces all around him, Cecil knew they all were on the same page as he. After an elongated breakfast, where pleasing the tongue came before pleasing the clock, all headed to Baron's inner city and its gates that led out to the forests and mountains that stretched beyond, those wooded areas that went on for leagues. When the party had come to rescue Rosa from the Godforsaken, Tower of Zot, they had used most of their supplies on the trip to the top. So, now, they all had to restock and make certain that their bags, pouches, and satchels were fully contained and equipped with the daily necessities of fending for their lives. Packaged spells would be a good thing to have, in case of power-depletion or any curses laid afoul upon them. Cecil and Rosa were the only ones left with magical capabilities, so in case the two were somehow cast out or knocked out, it would be a handy tool. Those abilities were that of White magic alone. This would not help defeat whatever foes the team faced, only heal them, so offensive spells would be beneficial for this journey as well.

Now that they were all set to leave, the group marched out of Baron and into the foreboding feeling of unease and unknowing, there was only left uncharted waters from here in. They left their homes once again, to rejoin the life of fights breaking loose around each corner and new direction they went. But fighting was now second nature, to these sets of brave fellows.

Once on the wearily worn, foot-sodden dirt path, they all quickly armed themselves with the latest in their equipment, setting off for the Enterprise – and off to Golbez's imminent doom and demise. They would all be together... to see the last... fall of this worlds worst enemy.

End.

A/N (2):

So, yea, this is a HUGE edit... from my written-down, original! Like, way, mega-huge... I spent a LONG amount of time on this... I put my all into this project, more so than I have on any other... I don't know why, though... maybe due to the fact that this is my first ever fanfiction? Hmmmm... in any case, I proudly state that this is the greatest fic I have EVER done! ...er... "re"-done... that is..

Oh, and I don't know if you noticed, but... I hate Kain with a fiery, burning passion... that is almost as strong as my feeling towards the infamous Leonard Testarossa in Full Metal Panic... grrrrrrrrrrr...

Anyway, Please, please, PLEASE, Read and Review! I do so enjoy those! And... yea... have a nice day? Haha, well I hope that you do~

Jaa~


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